Off your fitness routine? tips for getting back on track!
Sticking to a regular fitness routine can be challenging! We all know that it takes 30 days to form a habit and once we finally stick to a regimen that works for us, life gets busy! Or injuries and illnesses happen and it is too easy to fall out of routine. It seems like you are CONSTANTLY starting over, which can be exhausting. “Diet begins again on Monday” or “I’ll wait until the New Year to start exercising.”
A big reason why you have trouble making progress is because there is a lack of consistency. So instead of starting from scratch over and over, try these tips that will allow you to reflect on your health journey and figure out what you truly wish to get out of it!
Tip #1 Figure out WHY you stopped exercising the first time
Did your kids’ schedules become too overwhelming? Were you bored with your workouts? Recovering from an injury or an illness? These are all valid reasons to fall off the bandwagon. And this is why it is crucial to reflect on your “why” so that you can understand your true intention for improving your health. Even when life gets hectic, there is ALWAYS a way to make yourself a priority.
Tip #2 Start SMALL
When you take a few weeks or even a few months (cough, cough! I have totally done this!) off from working out, it is important to realize that you can’t always pick up where you left off. You need to allow your body some time to rebuild that strength and stamina you once had. And please give yourself some grace! Progress takes time and results don’t happen overnight. Start with a 30 minute walk a few times a week or even a 5 minute core workout. Ease your way back into a routine to avoid feeling overwhelmed and most importantly, to avoid injury!
Tip #3 Set Simple, Realistic Goals
Again, this plays off of Tip #2. When you set the bar too high and create difficult goals such as “lose 20 pounds in one month” or “have a six pack by summer,” you are most likely setting yourself up for failure. Instead, stick with something simple - such as committing to working out for 30 minutes twice a week or eating out just once this week. Once you achieve the small goals, it will boost your confidence in your ability to stick to something and then you can build up to bigger challenges as you progress!
Tip #4 Don’t Compare your Current Self to your Fittest Self
It may be tempting to look back on old pictures of your pre-baby body or when you had a squatting PR of 200 pounds, however, this habit can damage your self-esteem and and hinder your progress. You must accept that we go through different seasons of life and we may not have as much time on our hands to hit the gym 5 days a week or spend hours on a weekend to meal prep. Instead, reflect on your current situation and decide what is priority. Do you want to exercise to lose weight or to have more energy and run after your toddler? Determining this beforehand will help you choose the right kind of program and a realistic schedule to follow your new routine.
Tip #5 Create an Accountability System
The key to following through with a fitness regimen isn’t just self-discipline, motivation, or willpower — accountability also plays a huge role in sticking to your routine. When you’re just starting to rebuild your focus, the biggest factor in your success is whether or not you show up, which can be tough! This is why is helps to have workout buddy or a coach! Someone you schedule a time to workout together (doesn’t have to be in person, it can even be a Zoom workout!) so that you think twice before hitting that snooze button on your alarm. If you are looking for this kind of community that will hold you accountable, click here!